Over the past several weeks, the high cost of tickets for matches at the 2026 World Cup has sparked major backlash around the world. In that context, FIFA announced a decision this Tuesday aimed at easing the situation and responding to complaints from fans.
“With demand in the current sales phase achieving 20 million ticket requests, FIFA has confirmed that fans of the national teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will benefit from a dedicated ticket pricing tier,” the organization said in a statement published on its official website.
FIFA then added that the new ticket pricing tier “has been designed to make following their teams on football’s greatest stage more affordable.” The move includes a specific allocation of tickets priced significantly lower than those initially made available.
“Supporter Entry Tier tickets set at USD 60 each and available for all 104 matches,” the statement explains. That represents a stark contrast to the first three tiers previously announced by FIFA, which ranged from $4,185 for the lowest-priced option to $8,860 for the most exclusive tier.
How will fans be able to access the Supporter Entry Tier?
In the same announcement, FIFA provided details on how the allocation process for these World Cup tickets will work: “The entry tier tickets will be allocated specifically to supporters of qualified teams, with the selection and distribution process managed individually by the Participating Member Associations (PMAs).”
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However, the world soccer governing body later added an important clarification. “Each PMA will define its own eligibility criteria and application process. They are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams,” the statement adds.
Finally, FIFA detailed how ticket quantities will be distributed across price categories. The newly created Supporter Entry Tier will account for 10 percent of each PMA’s allocation, 40 percent will go to the next lowest category, the Supporter Value Tier, and the remaining 50 percent will be divided between the two most expensive categories: the Supporter Standard Tier and the Supporter Premier Tier.
FIFA’s reaction to criticism and boycott calls
FIFA’s announcement reflects a response to mounting criticism over ticket prices in recent days. Organizations such as Football Supporters Europe released statements describing the pricing model as “a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup,” arguing that the costs make attendance inaccessible for a significant portion of fans.
Tensions escalated further when a member of the England Supporters Travel Club even encouraged the possibility that The Football Association and other World Cup participants could refuse to accept ticket allocations as a way to pressure FIFA into taking action.
That response has now arrived, although it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to calm the controversy. Ultimately, FIFA’s announcement covers a limited number of affordable tickets, representing just 10 percent of the allocations assigned to each Participating Member Association. That means only a small fraction of the total tickets available for each World Cup match will fall into the lowest-priced tier.
